Week in review: Kim Jong Il dies, his son is successor

Follow the link to see our roundup of this week's news. What do you think was the top story?

News of the week

Here are the top news stories from the past week:

- With the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, is the “Great Successor.” But who is the son? Most North Koreans didn’t even know who he was until he was groomed in 2010 as Kim Jong Il’s successor, and the outside world knows little as well.

- President Barack Obama called on Congress to pass a two-month extension of the payroll tax cuts, a plan that was hammered out in the Senate. The House, led by John Boehner, wanted a different deal. However, the measure was passed at the last possible minute Friday by unanimous consent.

- "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey, Dec. 19th 2011, 6:00." – Jon Bon Jovi, in a sign in a picture he took to verify that he was alive, contrary to rumors that had spread on Twitter.

- "Nobody could ever give me a better Christmas present than this - ever, ever, ever." - Susan Regan, talking about the miraculous recovery of her son Sam Schmid. Schmid had been in a coma since an October car accident, and doctors believed he was brain dead and would not recover. However, just as doctors were talking to family about organ donation, Schmid woke up.

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